The treatment of draining wounds is a problem in the medical profession. Wound exudate such as blood, serum and purulent matter from a draining wound can lead to bacterial growth and delayed healing if not treated properly. Often times it is difficult to maintain wounds free of such wound secretions to allow for healing. Another concern in treating such draining wounds is that some believe that allowing a wound to heal in a slightly moist state may actually accelerate healing. Accordingly, the medical profession desires a means for maintaining draining wounds in a clean, moist protected state.
Currently in an attempt to meet such wound treatment needs there are wound exudate absorption compositions which are comprised of hydrogel materials in powder form. One example of such a powder material includes dextranomer beads. Dextranomer beads are hydrophilic spherical beads which are applied to a wound to absorb wound exudate. Disadvantages noted in using materials in powder form include difficulty in achieving even application, difficulty with lumping and clumping of the material after application and difficulty in removing the material from a wound site without damaging newly formed tissues in the wound.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,226,232 discloses the blending of a hydrogel material with a liquid curing agent such as polyethylene glycol prior to introducing the material to a wound. A difficulty observed in the use of this material is that it can not be sterilized by irradiation due to the formation of free radicals within the gel material. These free radicals so formed within the gel material cause an instability of the hydrogel product thereby shortening the shelf life thereof.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,059,424 discloses a wound dressing comprising a backing member with an adhesive layer and a hydrogel material layer of 15-30% polyhydric alcohol, 8-14% iso phorone diisocyanate prepolymer, 5-10% polyethylene oxide-based diamine, 0-1% salt and the balance water. Difficulties associated with the use of this wound product includes the limitation of not being able to cut the dressing to a size appropriate for the particular wound site and still have the backer intact. Additionally, the hydrogel material disclosed in this patent lacks the necessary strength to be used and removed in tact without the added support of the backer material.
The need exists for a sterile wound dressing which provides a size appropriate protective covering for a draining wound capable of absorbing exudate from the wound. It is also desirable to have a wound dressing suitable to protect a wound from debris and foreign matter capable of contaminating the wound. It is also desirable to have a wound dressing which cushions a wound from pressure. It is also desirable to have a wound dressing which does not adhere to new tissue forming in a wound. It is also desirable to have a wound dressing which maintains a wound in a slightly moist state to promote healing.